Self-portrait as the Apostle Paul

Rembrandt’s Self-portrait as the Apostle Paul presents the artist in a three-quarter view, his head turned toward the viewer with a pensive, slightly amused expression. He wears a light-colored wrap or turban and a dark cloak, and a book or manuscript rests in the lower right, reinforcing the Paul persona. The composition uses strong chiaroscuro with a warm earth-toned palette, and the visible, vigorous brushwork creates a textured surface and a intimate, psychological mood.